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Wisdom from congressional alumni on domestic and foreign policy … and a new senator urges common sense on sequestration.  Today, some straight talk from a couple of former Democratic Congressmen. Tom Allen, from Maine, argues that bad things happen when lawmakers ignore evidence.  Mike Barnes of Maryland, a foreign policy expert, says we need to rethink our policy toward Cuba, and the rest of Latin America. And Bill Press talks with new Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin. Tom Allen Tom Allen is a former Congressman from Maine who has written a book about why Congress is broken. Not surprisingly, he makes the argument that Republicans, and their disregard for evidence of what works, is to blame.http://publishers.org/staff/2/ Mike Barnes How do you hasten the end of Cuba’s dictatorship? Former Congressman Mike Barnes, an expert on Latin America, says send cruise ships full of tourists, send business leaders. He argues that an influx of American dollars makes it less possible for a dictatorship to survive.http:/

Will a 12 dollar an hour minimum wage  work?  Five dollar a gallon of gas  certainly does NOT. Nor does Chinese computer theft of America’s secrets.Economist James K. Galbraith talks about the “mania” on the right about cutting Social Security and Medicare, which he says will only further weaken the purchasing power of the elderly.Gas prices are going through the roof … and Steven Coll, president of the New America Foundation, has written a book exposing how Exxon-Mobil determines both the price of gasoline AND U.S. foreign policy.And Bill Press talks with an expert on the Chinese hacking of America. James K. Galbraith James K. Galbraith, a world famous economist, sheds some light for us about the effects of any cuts in Medicare or Social Security … and he makes the case for a minimum wage of TWELVE dollars an hour.http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/directory/faculty/james-galbraith Jim Hightower The GOP's disdain for low-wage workers. Steven Coll Now, with gas prices on everyone’s mind, we’ll hear from Steven Coll, a

Which House of Congress better represents the people? And how does winning an Oscar affect your health? Some surprising answers today.Why is there so much dysfunction in Congress? Constitutional scholar Ian Millhiser says, simply, it is “deeply baked into the legislative system.” Author and demographer Phillip Longman has some surprising data about how your job determines how long you live, and how winning an Oscar affects health in Hollywood. And Bill Press talks with Brendon Ayanbadejo of the world champion Baltimore Ravens about safety on the gridiron … and gay rights. Ian Millhiser Constitutional law expert Ian Millhiser says the Citizens United decision by the Supreme Court may not lead to more Republicans. But it will lead to worse Democrats! He also says the so-called “upper House,” the Senate, is actually more representative of the American people than the “people’s house.” http://www.americanprogress.org/about/staff/millhiser-ian/bio/ Jim Hightower Do more than the minimum on minimum wage. Phillip Lo

Is 2016 Hillary’s “moment?” Will Republicans use the debt ceiling to inflict a catastrophe on the world economy? Who needs immigration reform the most? She’s got money, organization, tenacity and discipline on her side. … And Bill Clinton. So what will Hillary Clinton do in 2016? Regular contributor and blogger Catherine Poe says, “This is her moment.” M-I-T economist Simon Johnson tells us the economy is improving but “irresponsible austerity” will create a “catastrophe” here and around the world. And Bill Press talks with Congressman Henry Cuellar, who says Democrats want immigration reform … but Republicans need it. Catherine Poe Hillary Clinton is no longer a political lightning rod, says regular commentator Catherine Poe. She is now a statesman, and now is her moment … to run for president.http://communities.washingtontimes.com/staff/catherine-poe/ Simon Johnson Economist Simon Johnson warns that irresponsible austerity methods proposed by Republicans could throw the world into a financial catastrophe. A

Movement on immigration reform. Why? Look at the election results!  Elections have consequences … and the proof is the sudden impetus for a bipartisan immigration bill. Just before a few Senate Republicans decided to join progressives in starting immigration reform, we spoke with Maria Teresa Kumar, head of the advocacy group Voto Latino. And we continue our conversation with Erica Seifert (sigh-fert), the election analyst who has identified the new group of voters that she calls the “Rising American Electorate.” And Bill Press talks with Tom Buffenbarger, head of the International Association of Machinists about threats to the labor movement. Maria Teresa-Kumar   One argument that might help speed immigration reform along could be the economic aspect. Reform advocate Maria Teresa Kumar, the head of Voto Latino, says new Americans will contribute taxes and application fees to the economy.http://votolatino.org/press/maria-teresa-kumar-voto-latino Jim Hightower Good retail jobs would be good for America. Erica

Optimism abounds … on the president’s toughness… on the American people’s commitment to progressive ideals… and on the Senate’s ability to get anything done. Optimism abounds for a progressive agenda after President Obama’s second inaugural address. Law professor Larry Gibson is a biographer of Thurgood Marshall and a Democratic campaign adviser in Maryland. He is optimistic that the president’s re-election signals a more progressive vision for the United States. Our regular contributor, Fred Rotondaro of the Center for American Progress, says the president has learned he has to be tough as nails and will not have to compromise on hot-button Republican issues like the debt ceiling. And Bill Press talks with former Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle, who is optimistic about the ability of the Senate to actually work. Larry Gibson Law professor Larry Gibson talks with us about his new biography of the young Thurgood Marshall, and also about his optimism about the country as a result of President Obama’s re-el

Visitors from another planet inhabit Congress … and in the real world, a pressing issue for Congress is how to deal with visitors from other countries. As President Obama begins his second term, he faces difficult challenges. Former Congressman Tom Allen says one of those challenges is dealing with a Congress whose members look at each other as visitors from another planet. And Latina political analyst Maria Teresa Kumar says gains made in the 2012 elections can take effect only if minority voters and other Democrats show up at the polls in the 2014 midterm elections to retake the House of Representatives.Bill Press speaks with Vincent DeMarco, who says the faith community can be a powerful force in getting more sensible gun laws. Tom Allen Tom Allen is a former  Democratic congressman from Maine. He has just written a book about why Congress is so dysfunctional. He says the blame lies mostly with Republicans, whom he says must eventually become more pragmatic if they are to survive. http://publishers.org/s

A good use for the 14th Amendment …and a terrible use for assault rifles. Should President Obama change his mind and invoke the 14th Amendment to rid himself of troublesome debt ceiling opponents? Economist James Galbraith says he doesn’t have to “invoke” it – it is already part of the Constitution and ought to rule the day. Former Congressman Mike Barnes, who also served as head of the Brady Campaign Against Gun Violence, says legislative restrictions on firearms will be difficult since one political party and one House of Congress are owned by the gun lobby.Bill Press and his guest Politico’s Reid Epstein, who says the president is spoiling for a fight over Chuck Hagel. James Galbraith Why are we in the fiscal mess we’re in? Economist James Galbraith says it is because the dialogue has been “hijacked by a manic obsession over budget projections that are highly unreliable.” He says it is not up to President Obama to invoke the 14th Amendment to sidestep the forthcoming debt ceiling debate – the Constitution

Did that really happen? Two authors provide historical secrets from the New Deal and from the Cold War. American University Professor Peter Kuznick, who, in partnership with Oliver Stone, has produced a Showtime series on the “Untold History of the United States. He offers some historical insights that present a different view of Henry Wallace … and Joseph Stalin. Another author, Sally Denton, has written a book about an establishment plot to oust Franklin D. Roosevelt, and she compares his opponents to those who smeared President Obama.And Bill Press and his guest, Congresswoman Jackie Speier of California, who asks her Republican colleagues, “What are you here for?” Peter Kuznick Peter Kuznick is a professor at American University. He has teamed up with controversial director Oliver Stone to produce a series for Showtime that offers an alternate history of the United States since World War II than the history books tell us. He has also written a book to go along with the series, and he says it is just ano

TEASE: Challenges in the second term … the early years of Thurgood Marshall … and the Republican states’ rights fetish. Progressive icon Fred Harris talks about challenges facing the second Obama Administration, including barriers to organized labor … law professor Larry Gibson tells us about his new biography of a young Thurgood Marshall … and historian Steve Conn rips Republicans for hating government, except for when they need it. Fred Harris Fred Harris was a U.S. Senator from Oklahoma, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and a candidate for president. Still active, Fred tells us what he sees as challenges for the second Obama Adminstration … labor rights, the minimum wage, civil rights and immigration reformhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_R._Harris Larry Gibson Larry Gibson is a prominent attorney and law professor in Baltimore. He has a new book out called “Young Thurgood,” which delves into the early years of Thurgood Marshall, the nation’s first African American Supreme Court justice.htt

This Christmas week -- Prospects for meaningful gun control … and prospects for Middle East peaceThe Newtown shootings have once again focused the nation on the easy availability of guns. Today we talk with Ben Palumbo, an old Washington hand who has worked with the Brady Campaign against gun violence, and he tells of a politician who stood up to the NRA and won – nearly 50 years ago! We also talk with Middle East expert Professor Richard  Bulliet about the prospects of stability in the region. He says you can’t go from dictatorship to democracy without instability. And Bill Press speaks with Senator Tom Udall, who predicts the Senate will actually modify the filibuster rule. Ben Palumbo Longtime Washington political operative Ben Palumbo has worked for decades on gun control issues, including a stint on the board of the Brady Campaign. In an interview with us before the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, Palumbo said nothing will happen until politicians are ready to stand up to the National Rifle Association.

The Rising American Electorate comes through for Obama, but will they be there in two years? In four years? The 2012 election is still being digested, and the aftertaste is good for progressives. The Obama campaign got its messaging right and its target voters right, but Democrats are going to have to work just as hard to keep this new coalition together for the 2014 midterm elections. And it’s clear that something is wrong with election procedures. We will hear from a polling analyst, and an elections expert. And Bill Press interviews Michigan Congressman Sander Levin about his state government’s assault against working men and women. Erica Seifert Polling expert Erica Seifert deconstructs the 2012 election and concludes Obama’s victory was NOT inevitable. It was made possible by what she terms “the Rising American Electorate” – unmarried women, nonwhites and people under 30. But, she warns, the 2014 midterm elections are not a lock for Democrats if they don’t show up again.http://gqrr.com/erica-seifert-phd

A provocative take on untold stories of American history ,and provocative ideas from the GOP on immigration and from progressives on taxes and spending. Did you know that Democratic “bosses” made FDR accept Harry Truman as vice president? Did you know that Truman was “very anti-Semitic and racist?” Did you know that Japan did not surrender primarily because of the atom bomb? These are parts of “The Untold History of the United States,” a book and Showtime series co authored by Oliver Stone and our guest today, Professor Peter Kuznick Columnist Catherine Poe reviews the Republican version of the DREAM Act, and tells us – thankfully -- it has no chance of enactment.And Bill Press interviews tax expert Michael Linden of the Center for American Progress about a solution to the budget and deficit problem.   Peter Kuznick A new book and Showtime Television series presents an “Untold” story of American history, Co-author Peter Kuznick, tells us that Democratic party bosses, the British and the French hated FDR’s v

Domestic and foreign policy outlooks in the second term, and a backlash looms against the discredited ideology of Reaganism. Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle says no matter who is selected as secretary of state, he doesn’t expect any radical transformation of U.S. foreign policy. Historian and author Michael Lind talks with us about different long-term waves in American history, where we are now and where we are going.And Bill Press interviews Senator Chris Coons of Delaware about the so-called fiscal cliff … and why going over it might not be so bad. Tom Daschle We’re happy to have with us today Tom Daschle, long time leader of Democrats in the Senate, and an expert on health care and foreign policy. He says that in the president’s second term, a lot of hurdles face full implementation of Obamacare but that foreign policy is going to remain on an even keel, not matter who is named secretary of state. Michael Lind Historian Michael Lind thinks the story of America is of long-term waves of technology

The Middle East is in turmoil and the middle class is in danger. And in middle America, a visit to the Lincoln presidential library. A Columbia University expert on the Middle East says if Romney had won the election, it would have meant “a green light for war on Iran. Now, he says, sanctions will have a chance to work. Author and think tank scholar Phil Longman has an idea – give every American at birth a federal savings account that the parents and the child would contribute to for a lifetime. And a special feature this week: With everyone talking about the Lincoln movie, Washington consultant and presidential historian Leon Billings reviews the best presidential libraries. And he recommends a stop in Springfield, Illinois. Richard Bulliet Richard Bulliet is a Columbia University professor and an expert on the Middle East. He says Obama’s re-election is promising in terms of containing Iran’s nuclear ambitions, as opposed to the “greenlight for war” that would have resulted from Romney winning the elect

Will Obama become more progressive in a second term? Does the election strengthen his hand against Iran? Hint … our guests think so! Fred Harris, who served in the Senate with the late George McGovern, has a surprising candidate to wear the mantle of McGovern progressivism in these times – Barack Obama. Mike Ussery, who was an ambassador in two Republican administrations, says the election gives President Obama a stronger hand against Iran. And Bill Press interviews Charlie Fink, whose group of patriotic millionaires favors higher taxes on the rich. Fred Harris Fred Harris, a former senator and chair of the DNC, says President Obama is a worthy successor to the late Senator George McGovern as an icon of the progressive movement. And, he says, the American electorate really does have a strong populist and progressive streak. Mike Ussery One result of President Obama returning to office, says Republican foreign policy expert Mike Ussery, is that he has more room to move in dealing with Iran’s nuclear ambitions

The word of the day? Demographics. Tom Daschle says they define the future of the Democratic Party, and elections expert John Halpin says they can beat Republican money any day. And Bill Press talks with re-elected Senator Ben Cardin about the congressional outlook for compromise.-------------------------------------After the shellacking administered to Republicans in the presidential and senatorial elections, former Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle reflects on what a second Obama administration might be like. John Halpin is an expert on elections and a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. He says the election proved that Democratic voters can beat conservative money any time. And Bill Press interviews Maryland Senator Ben Cardin, who says HE is ready to compromise, if the Republicans are. Tom Daschle   Tom Daschle was the Senate Democrat leader during the Clinton Administration and a key player in the development of health care reform. As a result of the president’s re-election, he says th

The Republican plot to destroy the Obama presidency four years ago and the Republican plot to keep Democrats from the polls this year. And how one immigrant family made it to the middle class. Michael Grunwald Time Magazine’s top political reporter, Michael Grunwald says that with all the resistance President Obama has faced from Republicans plotting to destroy his presidency, the fact that he even had a shot at winning re-election suggests, in his words, “maybe he is not a political idiot after all.”http://www.michaelgrunwald.com/ Jim Hightower The mad dogs of Citizens United Fred Rotondaro President Obama’s stimulus program helped America recover from the near-Depression left him by President Bush ... and business taxes are now lower than under Ronald Reagan. Regular contributor Fred Rotondaro reminds us that Democratic programs are not about just giving people money – they are about strengthening the economy for everyone. http://www.americanprogress.org/ Ben Jealous Bill Press and his guest, Ben Jealous,

With the 2012 election looming, a couple of long-time political operatives assess the Democrats’ chances next week, and George Mitchell calls the Romney campaign’s Mideast statements “silly.” Ben Palumbo Longtime Washington political operative Ben Palumbo says the case for President Obama’s re-election is easy – in the face of Republican opposition he persevered in improving the lives of millions Americans – equal pay, student loans, saving the auto industry, reining in Wall Street, not to mention health care reform and ending the war in Iraq. Jim Hightower Ryan & Romney's dream for America George Bruno President Obama’s chances of winning the potentially critical four electoral votes from New Hampshire are pretty good, says former state party chairman George Bruno. The congressional races, he says, are competitive as wellhttp://www.usagroupinternational.com/aboutus.htm George Mitchell Bill Press and his guest, former Senator and diplomat George Mitchell.http://www.billpressshow.com/http://www.dlapiper.co

Democrats run the economy better but Republicans are better at binding … and binders. Jere Glover Did you know that nine out of the last 10 recessions began under Republican administrations? Did you know that the stock market does better under Democrats and Republicans? Some eye-opening historical economic data from small business expert Jere Glover makes it clear which party is better for America.http://www.seidmanlaw.com/ Jim Hightower Romney's "Farmer" Jonathan Haidt Ever since Newt Gingrich took over the House of Representatives almost 20 years ago, American politics as become “a knife fight,” says social psychologist Jonathan Haidt. He suggests one way for Congress to get along better would be for members to move their families to Washington, which would improve social relationships.http://www.amazon.com/Jonathan-Haidt/e/B001H6GAXW/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1 Brad Woodhouse Bill Press and guest Brad Woodhouse, the communications director of the DNC.http://www.billpressshow.com/http://www.dscc.org/